VP Pence used private email as US governor: report

US Vice President Mike Pence.

PHOTO: Reuters

US Vice President Mike Pence used a private email account for matters of public business as governor of Indiana, US media reported Thursday.

Emails obtained by that state's daily Indianapolis Star newspaper showed that Pence used the private account -- which the paper said was hacked last summer -- to at times discuss "sensitive matters" and "homeland security issues."

The Star, which obtained the emails in a public records request, said that in response to its investigation the vice president's office confirmed that "Mike Pence maintained a state email account and a personal account."

All eyes on Trump as he makes maiden speech at Congress

"As Governor, Mr. Pence fully complied with Indiana law regarding email use and retention," his office told the paper.

"Government emails involving his state and personal accounts are being archived by the state consistent with Indiana law, and are being managed according to Indiana's Access to Public Records Act."

As US President Donald Trump's running mate on the 2016 campaign trail, Pence criticised the Republican's rival Hillary Clinton for using a private email server for official communications -- a scandal that haunted her throughout the race.

The reporter who broke the story, Tony Cook, told CNN that Pence's spokesman had "downplayed any comparisons to Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and email account."